Acne: Causes & Treatments

Getting rid of acne isn't always quite as easy as pimple product commercials promise. If you've been struggling with stubborn acne, your Chino Hills, CA, dermatologists at Sand Dermatology, Dr. Aman Sandhu, and Dr. Diem Pham, offer treatments that can help you avoid flare-ups.

Common Causes of Acne

Acne develops when the pores in your skin become clogged with skin cells and sebum (skin oil). Bacteria growing in the clogged pores causes inflammation that makes your pimples red and painful.

Acne can be caused by:

  • Too Much Oil: If your skin is naturally oily, pores are more likely to become clogged. Oil from your hair can also migrate to your skin, blocking pores. Washing your face and hair more often can be helpful, as long as you use a gentle cleanser. Harsh cleaning products can irritate acne and worsen it.
  • Hormones: During puberty, both girls and boys are more likely to develop acne, due to changing hormone levels. If you're a woman, your acne may be affected by your menstrual cycle.
  • Skincare Products: Oils in skincare products including makeup, moisturizer, and sunscreen can clog pores, causing acne. Using oil-free products and removing makeup before you go to bed can help you avoid breakouts.
  • Diet: Foods high in carbohydrates like bread, pasta, crackers, and potato chips might worsen acne. You might notice that other types of foods cause your flare-ups too.

How Your Dermatologist Can Help?

If over-the-counter products don't improve your acne, your Chino Hills, CA, skin doctors can recommend treatments that may be more effective. They include:

  • Prescription Medication: Your dermatologist may recommend using topical prescription medication like tretinoin, tazarotene, or adapalene. These medications unblock pores and stop them from becoming clogged. In some cases, topical or oral antibiotics may also be helpful.
  • Birth Control Pills: Taking birth control pills may offer a good solution if your acne flareups seem to be related to your menstrual cycle.
  • Isotretinoin: This strong medication may be an option if other treatments don't improve your acne. You'll need frequent blood tests while you take it and will need to use a reliable form of birth control if you're female. (The medication can cause birth defects.)
  • Blue Light Therapy: Exposing your skin to a blue light device kills bacteria in your pores, shrinks oil glands, and decreases redness and inflammation.
  • Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Treatment: During this treatment, bursts of pulsed light decrease oil gland size and inflammation, kill bacteria, and make acne scars less noticeable.
  • Microdermabrasion and Chemical Peels: Both of these treatments remove acne from the outer layers of the skin, unclog pores, and minimize acne scars.

Do you need help managing your acne? Call your dermatologists in Chino Hills, CA, Dr. Sandhu and Dr. Pham of Sand Dermatology, at (909) 313-5111 to schedule your appointment.

Our Locations

3110 Chino Ave Suite 120, Chino Hills, CA, 91709, US

Hours of Operation

Our Regular Schedule

Chino Hills

Monday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

Orange

Monday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed